Dolly for handling doors and the like



June 23, 1964 c. M. HANSEN DOLLY FOR HANDLING DOORS AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1962 w R w m m a V H m E w. m 3 d m r wm w2 mm. m 6 w Q Q C W QM. W\ W MN 3 %\V 7 mm N 2 Q h RN Q a MM S \Q h w amm M 5 N B w w G a Q MM a m n mm mm S v 8 N V WM MW w 3 mm .Qh g N a. Nan flTTORNEY June 23, 1964 c. M. HANSEN DOLLY FOR HANDLING DOORS AND THELIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1962 Vm AN F & mm

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y/fforo /7Z f/anren WZW ATTORNEY June 23, 1964 c. M. HANSEN 3,138,265

DOLLY FOR HANDLING DOORS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTOR.

Clifford I. Ha nsen ATTORNE Y 7 through a door opening.

United States Patent 3,138,265 DOLLY FGR HANDLHNG DOGRS AND THE LHKEClifford M. Hansen, 104) N. 14th St, Clear Lake, Iowa, assignor ofone-half to Qarl 3'. Fox, Clear Lake, Iowa Filed Feb. 14, 1962, Ser. No.173,181 Claims. (Ql. 214-1) The present invention relates to a dolly forassisting carpenters or other workers in fitting and/ or hanging andremoving doors.

For example, the doors used in commercial buildings, institutions, andthe like, are too heavy for one person to handle safely, and one or moreassistants are required to lift such doors into and out of a doorway aswhen fitting a door to the frame, applying the hinges, removing orinserting the hinge pins, or performing other operations. In fact, somedoors such as the lead covered doors in hospital or clinical X-ray roomsmay weigh as much as six hundred pounds. Also, most fire doors and doorsused in public buildings are too heavy for one man to handle withoutassistance.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toprovide a dolly for handling such doors, so that a single mechanic canquickly and easily handle such doors without other assistance.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a dolly of relativelysimple and light weight but strong construction; to provide a dolly witha tiltable door carrier that can be moved from a tilted position withthe center of gravity over the dolly to and from a vertical positionwithin a door opening, as when fitting a door into a frame or whenremoving a door for transportation to an out of way position; to providea dolly that may be used as a bench in combination with a sawhorse, aswhen working on, parts of the door; to provide a dolly capable ofhandling a door without marring thereof; to provide a dolly with meansfor'supporting the hinge pins in convenient position when they areremoved from the hinges of the door; and to provide a dolly whereby adoor may beeasily raised or lowered to register or match the hinge eleFIG. 3 is a perspective view of the'dolly carrying a.

door thereon, and showing howthe door can be carried FIG. 4 is aperspective view of the dolly showing support of a door in position forinserting the hinge pins.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dolly when carrying a door inhorizontal position in combination with a sawhorse to facilitate work tobe performed onparts of the door. r v f FIG. ,6 isa vertical sectionthrough thedolly and door supported thereby, withthe door in tiltedposition ready for transportation by the dolly. v a I FIG. 7 is ahorizontal section on the line 7.-7 of Referring more in detail to thedrawings: -1 designates a dolly for handling 'heavydoors andthe3,138,265 Patented June 23, 1964 horizontal flanges 9, ill and 11,coextensive with the rear and side flanges 6, 7 and 8. The angle memberforming the base frame may be a continuous member, with the inturnedflanges cut on miters and the upstanding flanges bent as at 12 to bringthe miters together, so that they may be suitably welded to make a rigidstructure.

Fixed to the under side of the flanges 1t) and 11 at the forward ends ofthe arms 4 and 5 are casters 13 and 14. Similarly mounted at themidpoint of the horizontallydis posed rear flange 9 is a similar caster15, cooperating with the casters 13 and 14 to provide a tripoint rollingsupport for the base frame 2. The rear portions of the arms 4 and 5 arealso provided with rockers lo and 17, which may be formed from rods 18bent to the shape of the rocker and having flattened ends 19 and 250secured to the side flanges 7 and 8 of the arms 4 and 5 by fasteningdevices 21. The rockers are of a size relatively to the casters so thatthey clear the floor when the casters are rolling thereon. However, therockers are so positioned that they will engage and rock upon the floorwhen the base frame is turned backwardly, as later described.

Fixed to the outer ends of the arms on the outer sides of the sideflanges 7 and 8 near the forward ends of the arms 4 and 5 are plates 22and 23 having outwardly set forward ends 24 and 25 to cooperate with theends of the flanges 7 and 3 in forming yokes 26 and 27. The offsetportions 24 and 25 of the plates and the flanges 7 and 8 haveregistering openings 28 for pivotally attaching a door-carrying frame3t) by pins 29.

If desired, the rods which form the rockers may have sheaths 31 and thewheels 32 of the casters may be of a material that does not markthefloor. i

The frame 39 includes laterally spaced upright angle members 33 and 34positioned with one of the flanges35 and 36 thereof facing rearwardly toengage withinthe forks of the yokes 26 and 27, while the other flanges37 and 38 extend inwardly to provide backing for longitu: dinal stiles39 and all that are suitably attached thereto by fastening devices 41.The forward faces of the stiles 39 and 46 are covered with afab'ric arlike facing 42 for contacting a door, as later described. The lower endsof the flanges 37-38 are turned outwardly to provide foot or ledgeportions 43 and 4-4, for engaging the under edge of a door, as laterdescribed. The angle members are spaced apart in parallel relation bydiagonal braces 45 and 46 having their upper ends fixed to the'inturnedflange 37 of one of the members 33 and 34 and their lower ends at- Vtachedto the lower portions of the inturned flanges 370i like and whichincludesa, mobile base frame 2 comprising a transversetmember 3'provided at the ends thereof with forwardly extending, arms 4 and 5 thatare suitably spaced apart to balance the 'weightlof a door thereon. The

the opposite member by fastening devices 47. Fixed to the upper ends ofthe angle members 33 and 34 is a'trans verse member 48 cooperating withthe diagonal brace members 45 and 46 for maintaining lateral stabilityof the anglernembers 33 and 34.

Fixed to. the underside of the transverse member 48 and extendingoutwardly and dQwnWardIyof'the angle 5 Q members33 and 34 are staybraces or props 49' andSt). f The stay bracesfl? and 50 may also beformed of angle" iron having side flanges 51 and 52 lapping the upperends of the side fianges 35 and% and having inturnedfianges 53 and 54interconnected by upper and lower transversev members '55 and 56-,Thestay braces may also belcon nected by diagonal braces 57 and 58' havingthei'rfrespec- 5 tive ends attached to the upper portion of onestay;brace' adjacent the upper transverse member 57 and their lower endsfixed "to the intur ned flanges of the opposite stay brace at pointsadjacent the eiids of the lower transverse member 56. The side flangesv51 and 52; of the props 49 and 5%) project downwardly below theendsofthe transverse member 56 is provide guides 59am 60'ifor overlappingthe yertical side'flanges -7 and 8 of the base. frame 2, as later'described; The lower transverse 'in'eni-" I .ber 56 may also comprise anangle havingone'flange 3 extending rearwardly to seat upon the sideflanges 7 and 8. The stay braces or props 49 and 50 are also connectednear their lower ends with the uprights 33 and 34 by stays 62 and 63which are preferably secured by fastening devices such as bolts 64.

Fixed to and extending rearwardly from the stay braces 49 and 50 at apoint adjacent the transverse member 55 are handle bars 65 and 66,carrying hand grips 67.

The transverse member 48 that connects the upper ends of the uprightmembers 33 and 34 is provided with a row of openings 68 for placing thepins 69 of door hinges, as later described, so that they are readilyavailable.

With the dolly constructed as described, it is easily pushed over thefloor from one place to another, as may be required. Now assuming that adoor 70 is to be fitted within a door opening 71: With the door leaningagainst a wall, the dolly is wheeled up to the door and the operatorplaces one foot upon the base frame at the rear of the caster wheels 13and 14 to prevent tilting of the base frame on the caster wheels. Thepivoted frame 30 is swung forwardly on the pivots 29 a sufficient amountfor the padded faces of the stiles 39 and 40 to be brought into facecontact with a face side of the door. Now with the feet or ledges 43 and44 engaging under the lower edge of the door, a downward pressure isapplied to one of the handle bars 65 or 66 to pivot the door carryingframe 30 rearwardly. At the same time the operator with his other handassures that the door follows the pivotal frame carrying through avertical position to an inclined position where the flange 61 of thecross member 56 again seats upon the flanges 7 and 8 of the arms 4 and5. In this position the door rests flatly upon the padded stiles 39 and40 and the center of gravity of the door is disposed over the mobileframe 2 so that the entire weight thereof is carried upon the casterwheels 13, 14 and 15. The dolly, with the door thereon, can now beeasily rolled over the floor by grasping the grips 67 of the handle bars65 and 66 and applying pressure thereon to steer the dolly as desired.The dolly readily responds to the steering pressure because the casterseasily swivel and roll in the desired direction. If the door is to bemoved through a door opening the mobile frame is turned sidewise, asshown in FIG. 3, whereupon the dolly, carrying the door, may be pushedthrough the door opening. In this way the door may be easily transportedfrom one room to another where the door is to be fitted or installed ina door frame.

When the door is in juxtaposition with the door frame in which it is tobe installed, the operator again places his foot on the base frame toassure that it cannot tilt and by simply lifting on the handle bars, theupper frame 30 is pivoted forwardly to bring the door into a verticalplane with the door frame. The door may then be marked, if it is to beshortened or the sides planed to provide a proper fit in the dooropening. The door can then be returned to an inclined position on themobile frame simply by holding the frame with the foot and pushing downon the handle bars until the flange 61 again seats upon the flanges 7and 8. This movement of the upper frame 30 lifts the door so that thereis ample clearance above the floor as the dolly with the door thereon istransported to a location where the required work on the door may beperformed.

If the door has already been fitted to the opening and the parts of thehinges 72 have been applied to the edge of the door and to the jamb ofthe door frame, and it is only necessary to hang the door that iscarried on the dolly, the dolly is-maneuvered to a position where thedoor can be brought to a vertical position by holding the base framewith the foot and lifting on one of the handle bars to pivot the upperframe 30 with the door thereon until the hinge parts on the door are inclose relation with the hinge parts on the frame. The hinge parts maythen be matched vertically so that they will slide into engagement witheach other. If the hinge parts 4 on the door are too high relatively tothe hinge parts on the frame, the foot pressureon the base frame will beslightly released to allow some forward tilting of the base frame underweight of the door. This tilting movement of the base frame lowers thedoor until the hinge parts are in registry. If the hinge parts on thedoor are too low relatively to the parts on the frame, the door can beraised until the parts are in registry. This can be easily accomplishedby placing the foot on the corner of the frame 2 opposite the hingedside of the door and pressing downwardly until the hinge parts are inregistry, whereupon they are slid into engagement. When the door is thusraised and the hinge parts on the door interengage the hinge parts onthe door frame, the door will hold its position through interengagementof the hinge parts while the hinge pins 69 are removed from thetransverse member 48 and placed within the hinges. After hinging of thedoor is completed, the dolly may be with drawn therefrom by pulling onthe handle bars 65 and 66 and Wheeling it away from the door.

To remove the door from its frame, the empty dolly is pushed up to thedoor and the stiles come into contact with the door so that the footportions 43 and 44 are in position to engage under the door, after whichthe hinge pins are removed and placed in the holes 33. The foot is againplaced upon the base frame to hold it steady and the frame 30 is thenpivoted on the pivot pins 29 until the stiles 39 and 40 make contactwith the face side of the door. With the foot still pressing upon thebase frame, the door, together with the frame 30, is pivoted back-Wardly until the flange 60 again contacts the flanges 7 and 8 of themobile frame, whereupon the door is inclined on the dolly and ready formovement away from the door opening.

If work is to be done on the door, the dolly, with the door thereon, maybe withdrawn from the opening and rocked on the rockers 16 and 17 to ahorizontal position where the upper end of the door is supported on asawhorse 73 while the bottom portion of the door is supported on therocked-over dolly, as shown in FIG. 5.

While I have particularly described the dolly for handling doors, it maybe used for handling any slablike objects that are too heavy to bemanipulated by hand.

It is also obvious that the dolly may be used for transporting factoryassembled door units where the doors are already hung-in their framesand fitted with locks, so that the assembly may be placed on the dolly,wheeled to the i door opening in the wall, and the frame set therein.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a dolly whereby asingle workman may readily handle heavy doors such as used in publicbuildings, hospitals and the like, and hang them in position withoutother assistance.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dolly for handling doors and the like, including a base framehaving a rear transverse member and spaced apart arm members extendingforwardly of said rear transverse member,

a front caster supporting the forward end of each arm member,

a single caster fixed under a midportion of the rear member to cooperatewith the first named casters to provide a three point rolling supportfor the dolly,

yokes carried on forward ends of the arm members,

an upper frame including laterally spaced upright members havingforwardly projecting foot portions to engage under the lower edge of adoor,

stiles extending along the uprights for seating the face side of a doorthereon when the lower edge of the door is supported on said footportions,

means for pivoting the upright members in said yokes,

prop members fixed to upper ends of the upright members,

a transverse member connecting the lower ends of the prop members andseated on said arms of the base frame at a point to the rear of thefront caster wheels to support said upright members in a rearwardlyinclined position over the base frame,

and means on the prop members to facilitate steering of the dolly andpivoting of the upright frame forwardly to move the door into an uprightposition, said rear transverse member providing foot-engaging means fora foot of the operator to facilitate tilting of the base frame upon thesingle rear caster wheel and one of the front caster wheels to raise oneside of the door when in said upright position.

2. A dolly for handling doors and the like, including a base framehaving a rear transverse member and spaced apart arm members extendingforwardly of said rear transverse member,

a caster supporting the forward ends of the arm members,

a single caster fixed under a midportion of the rear member to cooperatewith the first named casters to provide a three point rolling supportfor the dolly,

an upper frame including laterally spaced upright members havingforwardly projecting foot portions to engage under the lower edge of adoor,

a transverse member connecting upper ends of the upright members andhaving means for carrying hinge pins,

means on the upright members for seating the face side of a door thereonwhen the lower edge of the door is supported on said foot portions,

means for pivoting the upright members to the forward ends of said arms,

prop members fixed to upper ends of the upright members below thetransverse member,

a transverse member connecting the lower ends of the prop members andseated on said arms of the base frame to support said upright members inan inclined position over the base frame,

and means on the prop members to facilitate steering of the dolly andpivoting of the upright frame forwardly to move the door into an uprightposition.

3. A dolly to transport and facilitate hangingof a door in a dooropening, said dolly including a base having front and rear portions,

laterally spaced caster wheels supporting the front of the base,

a single caster wheel supporting the rear of the base and cooperatingwith the spaced caster wheels in providing a tripoint rolling supportfor the base in various directions,

a frame movable on the base and having spaced apart stiles andtransverse ledge means at lower ends of the stiles for engaging thebottom edge of the door and cooperating with the stiles in resting thedoor thereon,

means pivotally connecting said movable frame to the front portion ofthe base to carry the stiles of the frame in rearwardly inclinedposition on the frame with the center of gravity of the door over thecenter of the base to transport the door through the door opening in asidewise direction andto pivot the frame on the base for bringing thedoor to a vertical position for fitting into the door opening,

means extending rearwardly from said pivoted frame to facilitatesteering of the dolly on said caster wheels and pivoting of said frameto its respective positions,

said base having rear portions overhanging sides of the single casterwheel for providing a foot rest by which an operator of the dollycontrols tilting of the base under weight of the door and facilitatesadjusting the door to the door opening, and

rockers depending from said overhanging portions of the base to tip thedolly rearwardly in bringing the stiles of the movable frame to nearhorizontal position to facilitate work upon the door and to limittilting of the base under foot pressure applied to said overhangingportions.

4. A dolly to transport and facilitate hanging of a door in a dooropening, said dolly including a base having front and rear portions, 7

laterally spaced caster wheels supporting the front of the base,

a single caster wheel supporting the rear of the base and cooperatingwith the spaced caster wheels in providing a tripoint rolling supportfor the base in various directions,

a frame movable on the base and having spaced apart stiles andtransverse ledge means at lower ends of the stiles for engaging thebottom edge of the door and cooperating with the stiles in resting thedoor thereon,

means pivotally connecting said movable frame to the front portion ofthe base to carry the stiles of the frame in rearwardly inclinedposition on the frame with the center of gravity of the door over thecenter of the base to transport the door through the door opening in asidewise direction and to pivot the frame on the base for bringing thedoor to a vertical position for fitting into the door opening,

means on said pivoted frame to facilitate steering of the dolly on saidcaster wheels and pivoting of said frame to its respective positions onsaid base, and

rockers depending from the base at the sides of the single caster wheelto tip the dolly rearwardly to bring the stiles of the movable frame tonear horizontal position to facilitate work upon the door.

5. A dolly to transport and facilitate hanging of a door in a dooropening, said dolly including a base having front and rear portions,

laterally spaced caster wheels supporting the front portion of the base,

a single caster wheel supporting the rear portion of the base andcooperating with the spaced caster wheels in providing a tripointrolling support for the base,

a frame carried on the base and having spaced apart stiles andtransverse ledge means at lower ends of the stiles for engaging thebottom edge of the door and cooperating with the stiles in resting thedoor thereon,

means pivotally connecting said frame to the base forwardly of saidspaced caster wheels,

said frame means having prop means extending downwardly and rearwardlyrelatively to said stiles for seating upon the base rearwardly of saidspaced caster wheels to carry the frame with the door thereon in arearwardly inclined position with the center of gravity of the doorlocated between the said front and rear caster wheels when the propmeans is seated on the base frame, and

means extending rearwardly from said prop means to facilitate steeringof the dolly and pivoting of said frame to move the door into asubstantially vertical position at the door opening,

said base having rear corner portions overhanging said single casterwheel for providing a foot rest by which the operator controls tiltingof the base frame on the front caster wheels under weight of the doorand to facilitate tilting of the base on one of the front and the rearcaster wheels for registering hinge elements on the door with hingeelements at the side of the door opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A DOLLY FOR HANDLING DOORS AND THE LIKE, INCLUDING A BASE FRAMEHAVING A REAR TRANSVERSE MEMBER AND SPACED APART ARM MEMBERS EXTENDINGFORWARDLY OF SAID REAR TRANSVERSE MEMBER, A FRONT CASTER SUPPORTING THEFORWARD END OF EACH ARM MEMBER, A SINGLE CASTER FIXED UNDER A MIDPORTIONOF THE REAR MEMBER TO COOPERATE WITH THE FIRST NAMED CASTERS TO PROVIDEA THREE POINT ROLLING SUPPORT FOR THE DOLLY, YOKES CARRIED ON FORWARDENDS OF THE ARM MEMBERS, AN UPPER FRAME INCLUDING LATERALLY SPACEDUPRIGHT MEMBERS HAVING FORWARDLY PROJECTING FOOT PORTIONS TO ENGAGEUNDER THE LOWER EDGE OF A DOOR, STILES EXTENDING ALONG THE UPRIGHTS FORSEATING THE FACE SIDE OF A DOOR THEREON WHEN THE LOWER EDGE OF THE DOORIS SUPPORTED ON SAID FOOT PORTIONS, MEANS FOR PIVOTING THE UPRIGHTMEMBERS IN SAID YOKES, PROP MEMBERS FIXED TO UPPER ENDS OF THE UPRIGHTMEMBERS, A TRANSVERSE MEMBER CONNECTING THE LOWER ENDS OF THE PROPMEMBERS AND SEATED ON SAID ARMS OF THE BASE FRAME AT A POINT TO THE REAROF THE FRONT CASTER WHEELS TO SUPPORT SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS IN AREARWARDLY INCLINED POSITION OVER THE BASE FRAME, AND MEANS ON THE PROPMEMBERS TO FACILITATE STEERING OF THE DOLLY AND PIVOTING OF THE UPRIGHTFRAME FORWARDLY TO MOVE THE DOOR INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, SAID REARTRANSVERSE MEMBER PROVIDING FOOT-ENGAGING MEANS FOR A FOOT OF THEOPERATOR TO FACILITATE TILTING OF THE BASE FRAME UPON THE SINGLE REARCASTER WHEEL AND ONE OF THE FRONT CASTER WHEELS TO RAISE ONE SIDE OF THEDOOR WHEN IN SAID UPRIGHT POSITION.